#RevolutionNow: Calabar Court Discharges Two Journalists

Two journalists of CrossRiverWatch, an online news portal, have been discharged and acquitted by a Magistrate’s Court sitting in Calabar for their alleged misconduct in the #RevolutionNow protest that took place on August 5, 2019.

The journalists identified as Jonathan Ugbal and Jeremiah Archibong, News Editor and Managing Editor of CrossRiverWatch were arrested and charged with unlawful assembly, conspiracy, and conduct that is likely to breach public peace.

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The defense counsel, Kehole Enya, filed a ‘no case to answer’ application, following a long trial since they were first arraigned on August 7, 2019.

The no case to answer application was adopted on July 15, 2020, and the court upheld it on Tuesday, August 25, 2020.

The Chief Magistrate, Rita Marshall, held that the prosecution had woefully failed to establish a prima facie case against the defendants to cause them to enter a defense. She eventually discharged and acquitted them.

Speaking on the ruling of the court, Enya said that the ruling is a victory for justice and democracy. He said that tyranny must be fought against for democracy to thrive in the country.

He said the prosecution had no case and urged civic space actors to remain steadfast and hoped that the judiciary will “arise to their responsibility of being the hope of the common man and rise up to duty calls.”